Rhoda Roxanna Woodard was welcomed into the loving arms of Our Lord and Savior on September 2, 2022. Rhoda Woodard was born in Milwaukee, WI and grew up in Jackson, WI. She graduated from West Bend High School where she received a full scholarship for nursing school in Milwaukee at Deaconess School of Nursing. After graduating, she met the love of her life, John. They were married in April of 1960 and soon left for Long Beach, CA where John was stationed in the USN and where Rhoda became the first scrub nurse on the Open Heart surgical team at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. After the Navy, they moved to West Bend, WI where she became the ER/OR Nurse in Charge at St. Joseph's Hospital while caring for four small children at home. In 1974, John was transferred to Jackson, MS and Rhoda worked in surgery soon to become the Head Nurse in Surgery at Hinds General Hospital. In 1980 she was tapped to create the flagship EMT program at Hinds Junior College winning awards for outstanding excellence in teaching. For 17 years, she assisted with EMT textbooks and writing questions for the National Registry Exam receiving numerous honorariums and awards from RN/EMT professional organizations. She loved teaching and always encouraged her students to treat patients as if they were a loved one. She retired in 1997 to their home in Raymond, MS where she continued to assist and substitute teach EMT and AHA CPR classes, became very active in her church, traveled the USA with John and enjoyed her five grandchildren and her seven great grandchildren. She was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother. More importantly, she was an amazing person, a pioneer in her field, and a beautiful witness for the Lord. While she will be painfully missed, we take great comfort knowing she has been reunited with her Dear Heart, John and is rejoicing in Heaven with the Father.

Rhoda was preceded in death by her husband, John Stephen Woodard.

She is survived by her children Cynthia Woodard Harvey, Timothy Woodard and Pennie, Daniel Woodard and Elena, and Christopher Woodard and Jenny. Her grandchildren Jenna Marsh and Wesley, Janie Gaddy and Dalton, Chelsea Bryant and Cameron, Kristen Abdo and Jonathan Woodard. Her great grandchildren Jenley and Jaylee Marsh; Liam, Maddy, and Eleanor Abdo; Camden Bryant and Dawson Gaddy.

The funeral will be Saturday, September 10th with visitation from 1:00-3:00pm and service at 3:00pm at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clinton. All who loved her are invited to come and honor her life.

"When I am gone, release me, let me go. I have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears. Be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love, you can only guess, how much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you have shown, but now it's time I traveled alone. So grieve a while for me if grieve you must, then let your grief be comforted by trust. It's only for a while that we must part. So bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away, for life goes on. So if you need me call and I will come, though you can't see or touch me I'll be there. And if you listen with your heart you'll hear, all of my love around you soft and clear. And then when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and welcome you home."